Graduation Events

April, 2018

Dear Senior Parent:

The faculty and staff of Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School congratulate you on the anticipated graduation of your son or daughter and cordially invite you to attend two significant events:the BaccalaureateandtheCommencement. The following information contains important details about both of these events.

Baccalaureate: Sunday, May 20, 2018, 2 p.m.

Baccalaureate is a motivational ceremony that is not mandatory, but may be a meaningful part of the graduation experience. Baccalaureate will be held on Sun., May 20 at 2 p.m. in the Anne Poteet Auditorium. Seniors should arrive at school by 1:15 p.m. to prepare for the ceremony.

Commencement: Sunday, May 27that 5:00 pm

The graduation ceremony (“commencement”) will be held at the Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, TX, onMay 27that 5:00 pm.Please let us know by April 20 if any member of your graduation party will need a deaf interpreter for the ceremony.

Curtis Culwell Center:Please visitwww.curtisculwellcenter.comfor important information about their screening process, metal detectors, prohibited items (such as noisemakers), stringent purse restrictions (i.e., Clear Bag Policy), and pre-paid/VIP parking. Parking on the day of graduation is $10 cash at the gate.

Tickets Required: Each graduate will receive15tickets for family members and invited guests. Student will sign for these tickets when they pick up their cap and gown on May 16thin the Small Gym at Poteet High School.Students who need additional tickets are encouraged to ask their friends who may have extra tickets. Tickets are not available to replace any that may be lost. For safety purposes, no one will be admitted into Commencement without a ticket. No one but the graduate may pick up caps, gowns, and tickets. Seniors must have all records cleared and be in dress code to pick up caps, gowns, and tickets. Records must be cleared with money orders or cash (no checks).

Graduation Practice: Graduates participating in Commencement will practice May 25, 2018, at2:00at the Curtis Culwell Center. Important details will be covered at this time; therefore, attendance is mandatory. Students must be in MISD Standard Dress for this practice.

Transportation for Graduates:Graduates will ride MISD-provided, air-conditioned buses to Commencement at the Curtis Culwell Center on May 27th.Students must be at the school no later than1:00 pm.After Commencement, graduates will be expected to leave with family and friends.

Commencement Photographs:On the day of commencement, graduates will have two photographs taken: (1) a still photo with a backdrop, and (2) a candid photo as they walk the stage. These photos may be ordered online at:www.events.lifetouch.com(search for your school under the Graduation tab).

Please make note of these important guidelines:

Seniors or early-graduate juniors who have not passed mandatory state testing prior to graduation will not receive caps, gowns & graduation tickets, or be eligible to participate in the May 2018 graduation ceremonies.[Federal laws (ARD Committee) and state laws (Individual Graduation Committee) offer limited exceptions.]

Students will not be allowed to participate who are not appropriately dressed. Females will wear nice dresses or dark pant suits with dark-colored, low-heeled dress shoes. Males will wear dark dress slacks, white dress shirts and dark ties with dark-colored dress shoes.

All graduates will wear caps and gowns over their dress clothing during the baccalaureate and commencement ceremonies.

For a senior who is eligible to graduate and is assigned to a DAEP through the last day of school, the student shall not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony and related graduation activities.

Again, congratulations on your senior’s graduation. We look forward to these exciting and memorable events.

Sincerely,

Taylor Morris

Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School

May, 2018

Dear Senior Parent:

Commencementwill be held at the Curtis Culwell Center on May 27that 5:00 p.m. To accommodate immediate family members of our graduates,allguestswill be admitted byticket onlyto the commencement ceremony.This will ensure that everyone in attendance will be able to enjoy the ceremony. For the safety of all guests, bags will be searched. Each graduate will receive an allotment of15ticketson May 16th. Tickets will be distributed when your student picks up their cap and gown on May 16th.Please advise your senior to regard the tickets as valuable; lost or misplaced tickets will not be recoverable/replaceable.

As a final reminder concerning eligibility for participation in graduation ceremonies:

A senior/early graduate placed in the Challenge Program or JJAEP during the sixth grading period will not be eligible to participate in the baccalaureate or graduation ceremonies.

Graduates will practice at2:00 p.m. Friday, May 26, at the Curtis Culwell Center 1:30 p.m. Graduates are responsible for their own transportation to practice and need to allow for traffic. Please do not be late! Graduates must attend the practice or they will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony the following day. Dress requirements for graduation are the same as for Baccalaureate.For graduation practice, students must be in MISD approved standard dress. All graduates will be required to ride provided chartered, air-conditioned buses from Poteet High School to thegraduation ceremonyon Sunday. We feel this will eliminate congestion on the roads and the parking lot.A graduate must ride the bus in order to participate in the graduation ceremony.Students need to report to Poteet High School no later than 1:00 p.m. on graduation day. Students are free to leave with family or friends after the ceremony.

We have asked our seniors to carry on many traditions, and they have responded beautifully. We now have an opportunity to build on another tradition, and that is to make the graduation ceremony a dignified and honorable event, filled with memories you and your son/daughter will treasure for a lifetime.All graduates deserve that one moment in time when his/her name is called at graduation. For many schools, the joy of graduation has been diminished in recent years by a spirit of individual celebration for some students and guests who have acted to disrupt and tarnish the ceremony. As a result, we would like to make a special request of our senior parents.Please take the time to talk to your graduate and guests about the importance of being a positive contributor to the ceremony. Your help in this matter will ensure that graduation will be a cherished memory for you, your graduate, and your family.

NOTE:Please take a moment to refer to the Curtis Culwell Center Graduation Clear Bag Policy and be prepared to comply fully. These measures are for the protection and safety of all parties concerned. Graduation tickets for all parties will need to be exchangedpriorto entering the facility, as opportunities to exchange tickets while already inside will be extremely limited and may not be allowed at all.

There is no charge for graduates to park at the Curtis Culwell Center on Friday, May 26, for graduation practice.On May 27, 2017, there will be a charge to park. Parking fees are subject to change at any time, so please come prepared.NOTE:There is an opportunity to pre-pay for parking through the Curtis Culwell Center. If you are interested, please visitwww.curtisculwellcenter.com. Traffic is unpredictable, so please plan for ample time to arrive before the ceremony. Doors generally open one hour before graduation begins.